Cover Story: The Rise and Rise of Santa Muerte, with VIDEO

It was sometime back in the early 2000s, or maybe even the late 1990s, that I started seeing them at the late beloved Dunlavy Fiesta: in the Hispanic aisle, alongside the colorful votive candles to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Saint Jude, and the Most Powerful Hand of God, there were these stark monochrome candles to a Grim Reaper-like figure identified as Santa Muerte, or Santisima Muerte. (Saint Death, or Most Holy Death.)

At the time I thought little of them -- maybe they were just some aspect of Day of the Dead celebrations that I hadn't yet heard of.

And then the cartel drug war intensified, and reports came from south of the border of the cult of Santa Muerte and its close association with the drug trade. Mexican authorities claimed that she was that she had supplanted Mexico's legendary bandit king as the new patron saint of the pot, meth and cocaine smuggling business.

A fusion of medieval representations of the Grim Reaper and native Mexican beliefs, Santa Muerte is revered not only by cartel smugglers and assassins (some of whom have reportedly left human sacrifices at her altars), but all those who live their daily lives in fear of death. Her scythe can be a shield as well as a weapon.

Today her faithful include many who live in the margins of Mexican society, like prostitutes and street thieves, and also many of the poor in general, who seek her assistance in finding work. And with so many areas of Mexico having become cartel war zones, police and cartel-targeted politicians have started to revere her, often in secret.

Santa Muerte's devotees also include many who feel marginalized by traditional Catholic teaching. Many gay men, transgendered people and lesbians believe that they can ask her for favors in love that the official saints would not grant. And with the 30-year trend away from post-Vatican II liberation theology, many on the bottom rungs of Mexican society believe that the church has turned its back on them in favor of the rich and powerful. In a film produced by Houston Press intern Norma Vasquez, Maria, a local Santa Muerte priestess, speaks of her faith in "La Flaka," "the skinny girl.")

So she is a drug saint, but also an employment broker and a matchmaker. She's a harvester of souls -- all of them, in the end -- but also a protector of life. And as a narco-saint, she's not alone. Jesus Malverde is still hanging in there, as are other folk saints. A few traditional ones are also petitioned by drug dealers and smugglers as well. (See "Know Your Narco Saints," our slideshow.)

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Being a non-Catholic, I find it difficult to understand the Roman Catholic Church's position on many things but condemning Santa Muerte is something that they should not do (in my opinion). The cult of Santa Muerte should be embraced by the Catholic Church and the R.C. Church can control the tone of the conversation regarding Santa Muerta. Her cult is no different than other cults of the various saints.

I recall seeing a religious card that belonged to my great-grandmother that had an image of Santa Agata. She was dressed in robes and rings on every finger and necklaces and jewels and money. Grandmom told me that people would ask Santa Agata for favors and that when granted they would place jewels or money or some other offering in thanksgiving to the Saint. How is this different?

Among the Portuguese there is a devotion to Our Lady of Good Death. In old Goa Portuguese influenced) India there is a Cathedral of Our Lady of Good Death. In Brazil there is a religious order with the same name. Santa Muerta simply means HOLY DEATH. What is wrong with wanting a holy death?

I like the idea of Mexico's Día de los Muertos, the cult of the very non-judgmental (as the good author stated) Santa Muerta and other things that help us all cope with the fact that death is the great equalizer. We have La Angel de Meurte who, according to the book of Exodus, killed all the first born of Egypt.

What draws me to exploring more about Santa Muerta is that she is the patroness of the LGBTQIA Community. According to the article in Wikipedia: "Santa Muerte is also seen as a protector of homosexual, bisexual, and transgender communities in Mexico, since many are considered to be outcast from society. Many LGBT people ask her for protection from violence, hatred, disease, and to help them in search of love. Her intercession is commonly invoked in same-sex marriage ceremonies performed in Mexico. The Iglesia Católica Tradicional México-Estados Unidos, also known as the Church of Saint Death, recognizes gay marriage and performs religious wedding ceremonies for homosexual couples."

Personally, I am going to explore more about this very interesting and compelling Saint. I say: "Viva Santa Muerte!" for watching over the LGBTQIA community. Shehas done more for our community than the Roman Catholic Church has. Death issomething that we all face, we all have to deal with. Putting a face on her and dressing her up makes it easier to come to terms with our own mortality.